Roller-skate



(No Model.) v R. LUTHER.

ROLLER SKATE. No. 252,484. Patented Jan. 17.1882.

N. PETERS. Phmo-Lnnugrapmr. wnsnngtun. D. C.

PATENT 'OFFICE oni-inn LUTHER, or rokers-eren, Acoxrntorlcnr.` Y

.ROLLER-SKATE.

sPEzcIFIcATIoN'formingpart o'f Lettes Patent No. 25,2,4e4,.iated .mutinyy 17, lesa.

I i Application tiled September 5, lSSt. (Xomodel.) ,1.2

To all lwhom fit may concern y Beit known that l, ORMEL R. LUTHER, of Torrington, in the-county ,of Litchfield and State of Connecticut, haveinvented anew Improvement in Roller-Skates; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the let` ters of reference marked thereon, to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the same, 'and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-- i Figurel, a sectional side view; Figa?, abottom view', looking upward, Fig.3, an end view in its position of rest or straight-forward travel 5 Fig. 4, a forward end view as turning to the right; Fig. 5, afo'rward end view as turning to the left; Fig. 6, a transverse section, showing the stops. i

This invention relates to an improvement in that class ot skates which are constructed for use on oors or prepared surfaces, and such as are fitted with roller-like wheels and commonly called roller-skates.

The object ot' this invention is to construct the skates so that the axles will readily turn by the movement of the skater into a position at right angles to the path being traveledthat is to say, parallel with each other when going directly forward, orf radial to the curve being made by the skater. l

" The invention consists, essentially, in arranging the axles of the wheels upon a pivot on the foot-piece in the plane of the vertical central line of the foot, but inclinedto the horizontal plane of the foot at an angle of about fortyfive degrees, combined with a spring between the Wheels, arranged to permit the axle to be turned to the right or left, according to the curve being made, but return the axle to its normalposition at right angles to the line of the foot, as more fully hereinafter described.

A represents the foot-piece, which is of substantially the usual construction 5` B B, the forward wheels, arranged upon an axle, C; D D, the rear wheels, arranged upon an axle, E. On the axles centrally and between the wheels a socket, F, is formed, which works on a pivot, L,

` attached to the foot-piece, the said pivots rigidly secured to the foot-'piece and standing in the plane of the vertical central line of thefoot, but inclined inward to the horizontal plane of the foot at an anglenf about forty-'tive degrees, as seen in Fig.' 1.-A Becanse ot' the inclination of the pivots L, if the foot-piece he tipped to one side-say theI right, as in Fig. 4-.th`e axles will be correspondingly turned, as indicated in broken lines, Fig.'2, for the reason that the pivot will be inclined corre-pending to the foot-` piece; but the axle in the wheels must retain its position parallel with the tloor, hence will turn upon the pivot until the vertical plane of the pivot is at right angles to the axial line of the axles; and, as seen in Fig. 2,the rear wheels turn correspondingly in the opposite idirection, as also seen in Fig. 2., the axial line of both axles radiating from the center of the curve, which will be readily followed by the skate. I t' tipped in the opposite direction, as seen inv Fig. 5, then the axles will be turned in the opposite direction. The skater naturally leans inward on any curve whichA he is tnrningor'attempting te turn. This inward inclination of his body correspondingly turns his foot, and in said turning the wheels assume the beforementioned radial position to that curve. In ordinary skating the stroke ot' each foot is made in curves in opposite directions, that of the right foot going outward to the right, and

that of the left foot outward to the left, the

` body and foot naturally inclinng toward the curve being made. This automatic yielding or turning of the axles to accommodate themselves to those curves make it easy and natural for the skater. to move, there being no more resistance, so far as the skate itself is concerned, than in making the same stroke with the common skate. As the natural or normal position of the axles should be at right angles to the central line of the foot, I arrange a metal rod, a, parallel with each pivot,'rigidly attached by one'end, as at b, to the shank of the pivot,

the other end attached to the axle outside the Y To prevent the axles from turning too far, or

y so as to set or break the spring, I provide stops axle Will tip the rear axle onto the inside'wheeh or a single wheel may be used at one end and my ingproved arrangement at the other; but I prefer to arrange both axles in the manner described, as the same tipping of the foot will greatly reduce the radius of the curve made over what it will be with a single pivoted axle.y I therefore do not wish to be understood as limiting` myginveution to the pivoting ot' both axles; but

What, I do claim isl.y lna roller-skate, the axle of one or both pairs of wheelsarranged upon a pivot; on the foot-l-)iece-in the plane of the vertical central line ot' the foot-piece, but inclined to the horif zontal planeet" the foot at an angle ot' about forty-five degrees,combined with a spring-rod, a, parallel with the pivot, one end rigidly alttached to the foot-piece, the'otlier engaged with the axle, substantially as and for the purpose described.

Y 2. In a roller-skate, the axle of one or both pairs of Wheels arranged upon a pivot; on the yfoot-piece in the plane of t-he vertical central line ot' the foot-pieee, but inclined to the hori- `zontal plane of the fooi; at. an angle of about. forty-tive degrees, combined with a spring-rod, a, parallel with` thev pivot, one end rigidly attached to the foot-piece, the other engaged with the axle, and stops to. limit the extent` ofi turning of the axle or strain upon sai-d spring, substantially as described.

ORME'L R. lZlU'lEI'ER.v

Witnesses:

LEWISHULL, Fax-NRW. BU'E'IJER..` 

